“Just let me get that box of goodies.” Carol bustled out and came back with the peace offering Lena had brought in. She held it to her nose and sniffed, sighing in pleasure. “I can see the calories attacking my hips from here.”
Lena laughed and took it from her, pulling the bow from the pink string before she held the open box up to Carol.
“Oh my, they do look good.” Carol dipped her fingers in and picked up one of the small potato donuts and took a bite, her eyes closed in ecstasy. “Yummo.”
“Take another one, there’s plenty.” Lena pushed the box back in her direction waiting until Carol took another one. “They’re only small so the calories are halved, promise.”
“Thanks, Lena. I’ll leave you two to it. Call if you need me.”
Once the door was shut behind her, Ben reached for the box and took a donut, popped it into his mouth, and chewed before speaking. “Okay, tell Papa what’s kept you awake all night.”
“How did you know that?” Lena fidgeted in her seat, remembering how much her father could read her.
“I can tell by the bags under your eyes. Now what’s bothering you?”
She leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees and dropped her chin into her palms. Get it over and done with. “I want to break the lease.” Silence met her bombshell. When Lena looked up, her father was watching her, his mouth tight. “It makes sense doesn’t it? I can’t open a restaurant there now, not knowing what Adam did.” He lied to me. I hate that.
“Adam didn’t do anything.”
“He did, he—”
“Adam didn’t do anything.” Ben’s firm admonishment interrupted her. “It was his father who did the deal, Adam was still in law school sitting his exams.” He leant forward on the desk. “Lena, what you have to realize is that this is a complicated case and it could take time to work out. What we are about to open is a very large can of whoop ass that could have an impact on every case Judge Chapman ever resided over.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.” She reached for her coffee and wrapped her hands around the warm mug trying to drag comfort from it. Papa was supposed to be on her side, not Adam’s.
“Adam is in no way responsible for what happened to Simon if what he tells me is correct and I have no reason not to believe him. It’s going to take some very careful investigation to get to the bottom of it, but we have to try, for Simon’s sake and for those people who were wrongly convicted because of the deals Judge Chapman may have done.” He looked at her with a mix of fatherly love and dogged lawyer. “I have every confidence we will be able to spring Simon and Adam has offered to help me do that.”
How can he? “But he’s the one—”
“No he isn’t. His father did the deal and sentenced Simon. Listen to me here. He is also the one who spirited Sally out of the way so she wasn’t involved which means paperwork has been adjusted, accounts would have been tampered with. This isn’t going to be an easy case to win and I need Adam’s help.”
Great. Lena snorted. “So because you need his help, I should still play nice and not cause any waves then?”
“No, not at all. You should know me better than that. All I’m trying to get through that thick skull of yours is that Adam is not to blame. There is nothing to connect him to the case apart from his father and his ex-girlfriend.” Ben picked up his coffee mug and took a sip, watching her over the rim. “It would be unfair of us to judge Adam by association, don’t you think?”
“Are you sure about this? I mean, really, really sure?” Could I have been wrong?
“I wouldn’t say so if it wasn’t true.”
I know that but…“I just feel like I’m being a traitor to Simon if I go ahead and open the restaurant.” She gripped her hands together, the knuckles showing white. “It smacks of dirty deeds against family.”
“Well, I think you ought to get that out of your mind before I tell your mother. She would be more than a little bit annoyed at you. Honey, you need this restaurant. Don’t go giving it away because you think it will make you look bad in Simon’s eyes. I bet when Adam sees him, your cousin will be thankful you did.”
“Why?” She couldn’t imagine her cousin being impressed in the slightest to meet the man who caused him to be in jail.
“Because if you hadn’t gone over and made Adam dinner, we would never have known the truth.” Ben picked up a zeppole from the box and popped it in his mouth, chewing calmly as her mind worked over his words.
“Yeah, I suppose. But why is Adam going to see him anyway? He’s a farmer.”
Ben swallowed and wiped the icing sugar from his lips before answering. “Because Adam is offering to represent Simon in court if it gets that far.”
“But he’s not a lawyer is he? I thought you were going to do the appeal.”
“I was, but since Adam offered I thought it would be good for him. He passed the bar exam and practiced before moving here, so he still has his license. And he feels responsible. I believe he’s at Silverwater Prison talking with Simon this morning.”
“Really? He’d do that? I mean go against his father to save Simon?” Hmm, that says something about his character then. Perhaps I’ve judged him too fast.
“Yes, according to the talk we had yesterday. He’s spoken to his father and they both know what the outcome of the case could be. It’s his
